Time Stands Still

"It's you" said Goku as he and Mirko stood across the room from the newcomer. The assassin didn't change his facial expression and simply gave a small nod.

"I've been waiting for you, Son Goku. Mirko's just a bonus" he replied nonchalantly, "My client was very particular about this." That raised more questions than answers for Goku and Mirko. Something the former wanted to find out.

"Who hired you? Chisaki?" he asked in an intimidating tone. The desired effect was shrugged off by the assassin almost instantly.

"Yes and no. Chisaki hired me to help defend this place should it be attacked. The client who hired me to kill you is someone else entirely. Unfortunately I am currently unaware of his true name. What I am aware of is he is paying a large sum for whoever can kill you" the assassin disclosed before the ground around him began to glow and crack. He then walked forward slowly, not once taking his eyes of his target. Goku glared back at him but looked on in shock as Mirko sprinted towards the assassin.

"Not gonna happen trench coat!" she shouted as she performed a string of continuous cartwheels, untucking on the last one to land a kick. From her positioning there was no way she could miss. Then both her and Goku felt it. An ever so slight distort and the next thing they knew was Mirko keeling over in pain after somehow being dealt a blow to the gut. The blow launched her back to Goku who just barely managed to catch her. What scared him the most was that the assailant hadn't moved. At all.

"The hell?" grunted Mirko before she coughed up blood. Goku set her to the ground and examined her wound. No puncture wound but something had been hit. Internal injury perhaps?

"Who are you?" he asked silently. He brought his head up to face the assassin who looked the same way he had before; professional and calm.

"My name is Hit. And you are my target. That's all you need know about me" he somewhat threatened. Goku's body tensed and he stood up straight. Mirko, after her coughing fit, did the same and proceeded to attack again. Goku reached his arm out to stop her but she had already gone.

"Mirko don't! We don't know his quirk!" he cried but it was futile. She was either in an adrenaline filled rush or she was too angry to listen.

"Cheap shot! It won't happen again!" she smirked as she zoomed past him and bounced off a wall to attack from behind. Hit closed his eyes and the same distort happened again. This time he appeared behind Mirko and punched her square in the back. Blood spurted from her mouth yet again and she went skidding along the ground. Goku looked on speechless before his anger overtook him. He yelled and transformed into his Super state. Hit watched him as he blasted towards him before sighing. Goku threw a punch, felt the distort, felt the blow and fell out of his flight aura. He stumbled along the ground before turning around and throwing a right hook, only to again receive another unseen blow. This time it was Goku's turn to cough up blood. He wiped it from his mouth and clenched his fist in anger.

"How are you doing that? I didn't even see you move" he noted as he faced Hit.

"You're not going to get any answers from me I'm afraid" replied the assassin as he readied himself again, still with his hands in his pockets. That was what Goku noticed.

"His hands are always in his pockets. That couldn't be it could it?" he thought to himself before transforming into Super Ascended, "I need the extra power and speed."

Goku launched himself forward making sure to keep an eye on Hit's hands. When he was hit again without seeing the attack, he simply attacked again. And again. And again. Each attack was met with an unseen counterattack from Hit and by the end of the onslaught Goku was bloodied and bruised. He began to pant heavily as blood dripped from some of his wounds and from his mouth.

"Give up. I'd rather not make this any worse for you than it already is" said Hit in a somewhat sympathetic tone. At least it sounded sympathetic. He could have been warning Goku. Goku grinned before turning around and throwing his strongest punch yet. Hit sighed and as before the distort happened. As usual, Hit threw a punch, this time aiming for Goku's heart to fulfil the requirements of his contract. Then it happened. Goku moved. Instead of throwing his punch, he opened his hand up and grasped Hit's arm. He gave a small smirk and proceeded to gut punch Hit with his left arm. Hit gasped for air and reeled back, a look of shock on his face. He removed his hands from his pocket and clutched where he had been hit.

"H…how?" he gasped only to meet Goku's triumphant smirk.

"You're quirk is something with time isn't it? It was pretty hard to figure out. But I got it. It was just a matter of trial and error" he remarked, wiping the blood on his forehead away with his hand. He attacked again with Hit employing the same technique again. His blow was once more blocked by Goku who responded with a kick which Hit barely caught. However, the attack grazed his cheek and a small droplet of blood appeared. Hit stepped back in surprise.

"Your quirk lasts one-tenth of a second when you use it. All I had to do was predict your moves after you used the technique" Goku revealed and Hit glared at him before reluctantly closing his eyes and smiling, "Huh? What's the matter?"

"Nothing. I've found a worthy opponent. No wonder the payment was so high. You truly are remarkable Goku" Hit admitted and Goku smirked, accepting the compliment. Then Hit removed his hands from his pockets and took a fighting stance, "However, I don't intend to fail."

"Didn't think so" Goku sighed in annoyance. He took up a fighting stance as well and his aura flared to life, "Let's do this."

The two clashed and while Goku kept up initially with Hit's technique he soon began to falter. Hit had increased his own power and constantly trying to predict his moves was draining Goku's stamina quickly. Hit landed consecutive unblockable blows on Goku who responded with a charged ki blast. Hit dodged out of the way, with his next blow bringing Goku to one knee. He then rushed the teen, prepared to finish the fight once and for all. As he neared Goku smirked.

"All yours" he said. Hit was met by a powerful kick to his head and was sent flying away. Mirko had regained consciousness and was ready for round two.

"You alright Xeno?" she asked, helping the boy to his feet.

"Well I ache all over and there's a good amount of blood. Oh also I'm exhausted and nearly at my limit with holding this form. Apart from that I'm good" he sarcastically joked. Mirko grinned and turned back to face Hit who was standing up.

"Well thanks to you I now know how to hit him" she remarked before whispering loud enough for Goku to hear, "Rabbit ears for the win." As usual, Mirko sprinted towards Hit who placed his hands back in his pockets and prepared to distort time again. The distort happened again and Hit made his move.

"Not this time!" clamoured Mirko with a bright smile, her eyes brimming with excitement. Hit was caught off-guard once more as Mirko proceeded to slam him against a wall and just wail on him. Hit did his best to block each blow and received a roundhouse kick to his side that sent him skidding on his feet to the side. Mirko attacked again and once more countered his quirk. It was at this point that Hit was beginning to lose his temper.

"That's not possible. You're predicting my Time Skip as well?" he questioned. Despite his anger he still spoke in the same tone and appeared to keep his cool. Mirko crossed her arms, laughed and grinned.

"Nah. It's a lot less confusing than what the kid did. I'm just using my ears to hear for when your muscles tense when you use your, what did you just call it, ah yes your Time Skip. Fancy quirk name if I do say so myself" she revealed rather arrogantly. Goku facepalmed.

"Why did you just tell him?" he asked, and Mirko rolled his eyes, for only Hit to see.

"Well you told him how you did it and he fought better. I want that same effect" she countered before dashing at the assassin who used his Time Skip again. Once more Mirko heard his muscles tense and countered. This then proceeded to happen a third time and Hit was backed up, wincing in pain.

"I thought you were the world's deadliest assassin. Guess not" she mocked and made for him again. She heard his muscles tense and attacked. However, Hit smirked and just before Mirko connected with him, he sidestepped to the left and brought his right fist to Mirko's stomach. The heroine coughed and spat out bile before dropping to the ground and keeling over in pain. Hit then laid into her. Each blow was unblockable. Mirko stumbled back and hunched over. Goku could only watch in horror. She was now in worse shape than him.

"Mirko get back!" he cried before wincing in pain and inhaling deeply from exhaustion. Mirko stood still and simply glared at Hit who stared back. Hit finally closed his eyes and decided to finish the fight. He opened his eyes and brough his arms up in front of him, bent at the elbow, hands balled into fists and with one arm in front of the other. He then took a stance with his legs.

"This is the stance!" he declared before lunging forward and striking Mirko. For Goku and Mirko, time seemed to slow down with the only notable change being once Hit had mysteriously turned away from Mirko with his hands in his pockets. Then time restarted. Mirko was barraged with unseen, unblockable and extremely powerful blows with the combined impact knocking her away. She crashed back down onto the ground with Goku unable to tell if she was conscious or not. Her ki signature was weak.

"He didn't touch her" he whispered in fear. That was far from the truth. After the initial strike, Hit had used his Time Skip to rapidly attack Mirko's vitals, making sure not to kill her, from different angles. Due to his quirk, Hit saw each blow as a purple beam of light protruding from Mirko's body. After landing the final blow, Hit turned around quickly, placed his hands in his pockets and closed his eyes. Then he deactivated his Time Skip.

"I continue to improve" he commented shortly after Goku's inaccurate observation, "Something you also continue to do Goku. I know not why my client wants you dead, but I never fail." Hit approached Goku who, using his remaining strength, stood and threw a punch. Hit effortlessly dodged, without the use of his Time Skip. Just before he struck Goku in the chest, the teen opened his right palm and fired a powerful ki blast into the air, Hit assuming it was either an accident or failed last ditch effort. Goku collapsed to his knees from pain.

"Believe me Goku. I take no pleasure in ending the life of someone as young as you. It's just a job" he said reluctantly, "It's a shame to end the life of someone so gifted. You fought well." Goku lifted his head to look Hit dead in the eyes with the assassin responding by placing his right index and middle fingers over Goku's heart. One strike was all it would take. They both knew this.

"No leave him alone" said Mirko weakly as she stood up. She stumbled from the pain and was close to passing out. Hit gave her a quick glance before returning his gaze to Goku who stayed silent.

"Mirko. It was an honour" declared Goku quietly. Even in the face of death he stayed strong. Goku closed his eyes and accepted his fate. Hit sighed and prepared to finally fulfil the requirements of his contract. His right arm tensed. Mirko used the last of her strength to lunge towards her ward.

She was too slow.

"GOKU!" she screamed in despair. Hit struck Goku in the heart and the teen gasped in pain. He coughed up blood, reverted to his base form and fell to the side, dead. Mirko stumbled and fell beside him. She proceeded to do something that no one would ever expect. She began to clutch his body and cry. She cried harder than ever before. She knew not why but she just had to cry.

"No! Goku! C'mon kid! Wake up! This can't be how it ends for you!" she sobbed. Hit looked on sympathetically before turning around, "Come back here you bastard." He stopped in his tracks and turned to see Mirko slowly getting to her feet.

"You aren't in any condition to fight. Enough blood has been spilled today. My contract is over." Hit was eager to leave. He had mixed feelings about what had transpired. He couldn't help but feel that he had made a mistake by taking the contract. But it was a contract and he always fulfilled contracts.

"You son of a bitch. You killed a kid and now you're going to leave like nothing happened?" Mirko growled, "No matter where you go I will hunt you down. I'll never forget what happened her today."

"Neither will I" replied Hit after some thought. He turned once more and proceeded to walk away. Mirko took a step after him but grit her teeth in pain.

"I'll find you Hit!" she threatened before the ground began to shake. Hit felt them too and began to evaluate the situation.

"Chisaki you idiot" he whispered. His exit was then cut off by falling debris. Through the screaming, destruction and chaos Mirko and Hit both swore they could make out a voice.

"GIVE HER BACK!"

"The hell is that?" muttered Mirko before noticing Hit.

"That was Kai Chisaki. It seems his plan is falling apart. My work here is done. Farewell" he stated. Hit surveyed the area they were in for another exit but each one was either cut off by rubble or had been sealed by the terraforming gang member earlier. Then the ceiling caved in. Hit disappeared from sight while Mirko dove to protect Goku's lifeless body.

Everything went black.

Author's Note

What's this? Two chapters within 2-3 days? Who saw this coming? (I mean I didn't XD)

Anyway this was a fun one to write. Incorporating aspects of DBS is challenging, considering Goku is way stronger in that series compared to now where he can only properly access his Super state and Super Ascended.

Who hired Hit to kill Goku? Is he dead? Questions that will be answered next time.

Now as a little bonus I'll let you in on a secret. Next chapter is going to have the introduction of a non-canon move of Goku's. As to which move? Well you'll have to wait for that.

See you soon,

Ethan